British Reptiles and Amphibians 



annals of the daily Press as if it were an act the reader 

 might be thankful for. The utility of the Snake in 

 the economy of Nature seems to call for no con- 

 sideration. The withdrawal of Snakes from our land- 

 scapes would mean that their places and their work 

 would fall upon another species of animal. Other- 

 wise the creatures they live upon must multiply, and 

 these in time may prove the forerunners of local, or 

 even national, injury. On the foundation even of 

 sentiment, our indigenous Snakes might be conserved. 

 In the past the nation has lost not a little of its patri- 

 mony ; to-day higher education might guard the 

 innocent reptile crawling through the grasses. 



The paucity of the reptilian fauna of Britain has 

 already been referred to, and it becomes the more 

 evident when we realize that, of over 1,700 species of 

 snakes that are found in the world, only three species 

 have a home in Britain. 



THE SMOOTH SNAKE (Coronella austriaca, Plate V.). 



This Snake is found in Britain only in the more 

 southern counties of England ; its range extends over 

 most of temperate Europe to Asia ; it is common in the 

 moutainous districts of Germany. The scales along 

 the back are smooth, and this fact doubtless accounts 

 for the popular name of the reptile. Underneath the 

 plates are somewhat rounded, while the tail boasts of a 

 double series. The tail is rather short, and well set on 

 at the base, giving it a rather strong appearance. As 

 regards colour, the upper parts are warm brown, with 



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